This invention relates generally to a portable salad bar. More specifically, this invention relates to a portable salad bar including a base and inflatable chambers that form a reservoir and is constructed to be folded into a compact storage configuration.
In the food industry, keeping food products fresh and edible is a top priority. One of the most crucial factors in maintaining freshness is temperature control. When food products are permitted to warm excessively, the food product""s flavor and texture can be adversely affected. Further, the food products can ultimately spoil.
Many refrigeration techniques are known to those skilled in the art. The simplest refrigeration technique is to keep food products on ice. Mechanical refrigeration systems also are frequently utilized to control food product temperatures. The determination of the proper refrigeration techniques depends on the type of food being refrigerated and the nature of the refrigeration installation. Meat freezers, for example, require long-term low temperature refrigeration while salad bars require temporary and low to moderate temperature refrigeration.
With increasing awareness of healthfulness and nutrition, salad bars have become increasingly popular in recent years. Restaurants frequently feature a permanent salad bar designed to keep food ingredients fresh. Permanent salad bars generally use ice or mechanical refrigeration to maintain the food ingredients at cool temperatures. Restaurant salad bars are typically heavy and bulky. Further, permanent salad bars are generally affixed to a building structure, and therefore are cumbersome and inefficient to transport.
While refrigerated salad bars are commonplace in restaurants, salad bars in temporary installations frequently lack any form of refrigeration. When a salad bar is prepared in a home, for instance, food ingredients are often presented in individual containers on a table or counter. The food ingredients may be refrigerated prior to use, but the food ingredients are frequently presented without refrigeration and therefore are apt to spoilage.
In temporary installations, such as picnics or parties in the home, a refrigerated salad bar is needed to keep food products fresh by way of ice or a similar cooling source. In these situations, however, a permanent fixture is usually both unnecessary and undesirable. When intended for a single or infrequent use, conventional salad bars are disadvantageous because they are cumbersome to transport and inconvenient to store after use.
Catering services also frequently use salad bars to present food items. Catering services often use ice-cooled salad bars having a solid structure. Because of the solid support structure, these salad bars can also be cumbersome to transport and store.
Accordingly, a need exists for a portable salad bar that provides a structural reservoir for keeping food products fresh on ice or a similar cooling source, and further provides for reconfiguration into a compact and lightweight form for convenient transport and storage.
In accordance with the invention, the above and other desires and needs are met by providing a portable salad bar. One aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus having a reservoir formed from one or more inflatable chambers that deflate to permit the portable salad bar to be folded into a compact storage configuration.
One aspect of the present invention is a portable salad bar having a flexible base. Further, one or more inflatable chambers are connected to the base, and the inflatable chambers extend around the base to form a reservoir having a flexible bottom surface defined by the base. The inflatable chambers can then be deflated and the portable salad bar can be folded for facilitating transportation and storage.
Another aspect of the present invention is a portable salad bar having a flexible base with a non-inflatable generally planar surface. One or more inflatable chambers are connected to the base, wherein the inflatable chambers extend upwardly and have an inner wall and an outer wall. Further, the inner wall and the base define a reservoir that has a flexible bottom surface. A drain extends through the inflatable chambers and a filter screen covers the drain. A valve is engaged with the inflatable chambers, and the inflatable chambers can be inflated and deflated by way of the valve.
A further aspect of the present invention is a portable salad bar having a flexible planar surface with a peripheral edge. One or more inflatable chambers extend around the peripheral edge and are secured to the planar surface. The inflatable chambers and the planar surface form a reservoir that has a flexible bottom surface. A drain is connected to the reservoir, and a valve is engaged with the inflatable chambers. Further, the actuation of the valve deflates the inflatable chambers.
In sum, the invention represents a significant improvement over the prior art in many ways. The portable salad bar in accordance with the invention provides a structural reservoir for keeping food products fresh on ice or a similar cooling source. Further, the portable salad bar in accordance with the present invention provides for reconfiguration of the portable salad bar into a compact and lightweight form for convenient transport and storage. These and various other features and advantages, which characterize the present invention, will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and review of the associated drawings.